Part 29 (1/2)
”In case you have any doubts,” Adrian murmured, ”Rooke is not available.”
Valencia's eyes glinted darkly and her full, sensual lips thinned, but she nodded in a.s.sent. Satisfied, Adrian slipped inside. When the door closed, she put her arm around Rooke's waist and rested her cheek against Rooke's shoulder.
”I'm having a sign made for you.” Adrian kissed a spot just below Rooke's ear. When Rooke shuddered, she felt a thrill of satisfaction.
”Property of Adrian Oakes.”
Rooke laughed. ”I think that might be overkill.”
a 256 a ”I know you do.” Adrian kissed the angle of Rooke's jaw and very subtly rubbed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against Rooke's arm. ”One of the many things I love about you.”
”Adrian,” Rooke's voice carried a warning, ”if you want us to go to this thing, you have to stop exciting me all the time.”
”Can't. Don't want to.” Laughing softly, Adrian turned Rooke's face toward her and kissed her mouth. ”Won't.”
”Fair enough.”
Rooke slipped her tongue into Adrian's mouth, dragging her into the flames. For a few seconds Adrian completely forgot where they were or where they were going. All she knew was the utter sense of completion that flooded her every time Rooke touched her. When Rooke finally released her, she was gasping.
”Okay, you win,” Adrian murmured. ”I'll behave. Because I'll be d.a.m.ned if I'll let Valencia or any of the others have a clue as to what they're missing.”
”They're not missing anything.” Rooke tangled her fingers in Adrian's hair, tilted her head back and kissed her throat. ”Whatever I am, is yours alone.”
v ”Rooke love,” Melinda exclaimed as Adrian and Rooke walked into Melinda's penthouse apartment. She grasped Rooke's hands and kissed her on both cheeks before turning to Adrian. She stepped very close, her green eyes taking on a heated glow. Her gaze lingered on Adrian's before slowly tracking down her body and then back to her face. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, temptingly displayed in a deep V-neck, figure-hugging midnight blue Versace dress, flushed a delicate rose.
”You look beautiful, darling. And you smell,” Melinda took in a slow breath, her lids flickering, ”divine.”
”Thank you,” Adrian said coolly, grasping Rooke's hand to anchor herself. Melinda's desire was tangible, her allure nearly hypnotic.
Rooke's fingers closed on hers, and she deliberately ignored Melinda, looking round the room instead.
The s.p.a.cious room commanded an impressive and undoubtedly exorbitantly expensive view of the Hudson. Among the elegantly attired men and women working the room, she recognized a few reporters and a 257 a art critics from after-show press parties she'd been to with Jude. Others were family business acquaintances. Some she only recognized from the gossip columns.
”Quite the gathering,” Adrian remarked.
Melinda glanced at Rooke, her expression rapacious. ”She deserves it. Don't you think?”
”I do,” Adrian said. ”That's why we're here.”
”Let me take her to meet some of her soon-to-be adoring public, then.” Looking supremely satisfied, Melinda threaded her arm through Rooke's. ”I'll take good care of her.”
Adrian tried not to clench her jaw, but couldn't quite manage it, and said through her teeth, ”Be sure that you do this time.”
Melinda raised an eyebrow, then smiled secretively. ”We'll come find you, darling. Don't worry.”
Rooke held back and kissed Adrian's cheek. ”I'll be back soon.
Will you be all right?”
”I've survived worse at my parents' parties,” Adrian said, grazing Rooke's chest with her fingertips. She hated to let her go. She hated the absence of her touch. She also understood that what Rooke needed most was to know that she would always be there for her. ”I'm so proud of you. Go. I'll be waiting.”
”I love you,” Rooke whispered, and then she was gone.
Adrian s.h.i.+vered, as if someone had opened a window and let in a blast of cold air. For a second, she panicked as the crowd closed in on her, and then she remembered the overwhelming sense of love and desire and safety she'd experienced waking in Rooke's arms that morning. Her flesh, her spirit, drew strength from the total trust and utter sense of belonging she'd felt with Rooke beside her. Inside her.
She was not alone, she was not vulnerable. She was loved.
”Can I get you something to drink?” a beautiful brunette with striking turquoise eyes and a voice like a siren's song murmured close to her ear.
”No, thank you,” Adrian said.
”I haven't seen you at one of Melinda's gatherings before.” The brunette's expression telegraphed interest. ”Are you here alone?”
”No. I'm definitely not alone. If you'll excuse me.”
Adrian worked her way through the gathering, speaking to those a 258 a she knew while watching Melinda and Rooke make the circuit. Rooke seemed at ease, and some of her anxiety abated. After she judged that Melinda had had enough time to make appropriate introductions, she set out to rea.s.sert her claim on Rooke.
Her arm was grasped by a distinguished-looking middle-aged man, and she halted abruptly.
”Adrian? Is that you? I didn't realize you were back in the country.”
”h.e.l.lo, Jeremy,” Adrian said, trying and failing to peer around the New Yorker arts editor without being obvious. By the time they'd exchanged pleasantries and the obligatory small talk, she'd completely lost sight of Rooke. Furthermore, she couldn't find Melinda. The chill she'd experienced earlier settled around her heart like a block of ice.
Everyone faded from her awareness as she cut her way toward a hallway on the far side of the room. Rooke was there, she knew it.
The first room she looked into, an apparent guest room, was empty.
A door at the other end of the hall was slightly ajar, and she pushed it open. Melinda's bedroom, she presumed, since Melinda stood next to the king-size bed.
”Where is she?” Adrian demanded.
”h.e.l.lo, darling. Your timing is exquisite.” Melinda glided over to her. ”Rooke handled everyone marvelously, but I thought she needed a little break so I spirited her away somewhere quiet.”
”To your bedroom?”
”She's in the bathroom freshening up, darling.” Melinda gave her an innocent look before running a fingertip down Adrian's bare arm.
”I'm sorry we've been neglecting you. I couldn't wait to be alone with you and our Rooke.”
”There is no our Rooke.” Adrian barely registered Melinda's hand on her arm. Her caress felt as inconsequential as rain sluicing off marble. ”There never has been, there never will be.”
”Something's happened,” Melinda said quietly, searching Adrian's eyes as if the answer were in their depths. Maybe it was. ”You've slept with her.”
Adrian almost laughed. Shaking her head, she said, ”Melinda. It's much more than that. Can't you feel it?”
Melinda caught her breath before quickly masking her shock a 259 a with a smile. ”You always were more open to me than she was, but now... You did more than sleep with her.” She shook her head. ”You're together, aren't you?”